Blade Runner (The Final Cut) (15)

Directed by Ridley Scott
Picturehouse, Liverpool
14th December 2014

Reassessment review by Colin Serjent

The Picturehouse in Liverpool had a special one-off showing of Ridley Scott's epic film. I had never seen it on a big screen before, since its release in 1982, but despite the 32 year gap it is still a major work of cinema art sans CGI.

Adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, the movie depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019, where it incessantly rains.

Genetically engineered replicants, which are indistinguishable from humans, have been created by the Tyrell Corporation. The replicants, who are banned from Earth, have been sent to off-world colonies, where they perform various types of work which humans are unable or unwilling to carry out.

A number of them, led by Roy (a mesmerising performance by Rutger Hauer) have escaped and returned to Earth but are hunted down and slain by special police officers, known as blade runners.

The film focuses upon a small group of recently escaped replicants with a reluctant and world- weary Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), assigned to destroy them.

When Blade Runner was released it performed poorly at the box office, in no way recapping the $28m budget spent on its production, with critics being divided as to its artistic merits.

But it has now become firmly established as a classic cult sci-fi film, with seven versions having been made, of which The Final Cut, released in 2007, the final one.

Director Ridley Scot regarded Blade Runner "as probably my most complete and personal film." The Final Cut was the only version of which he had complete artistic freedom.

'Blade Runner delves into the implications of technology on the environment and on society by reaching to the past, using literature, religious symbolism, classic dramatic themes, and film noir' (Wikipedia).

There is still the debate as to whether Deckard is a human or a replicant. Scott has confirmed that in his vision Deckard is the latter.

Scott draws on the landscape of Hong Kong "on a very bad day" and the industrial landscape of his one-time home in South Shields in the North-East of England.

The visual style of the movie is influenced by the work of Futurist Italian architect Antonio Sant'Ella.

Unlike the other versions of Blade Runner, The Final Cut does not include the voice-over by Ford. Producer Michael Deeley had said, prior to the original release,"A voice-over would seriously interfere with both the flow of the story and Deckard's character."

'The film's horizontal/vertical design scheme makes a statement: Blade Runner's privileged few live in luxurious towers, literally high above the disenfranchised masses below.' (The Making Of Blade Runner' by Paul M. Sammon (Orion 1996)).

This is the definitive book on the film. I am not sure whether it is still in print.

NERVE supports workers struggling for a living wage.

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Comment left by Colin Serjent on 5th January, 2015 at 12:47
Cast And Crew Of Blade Runner Directed by Ridley Scott Writing Credits Hampton Fancher ... (screenplay) and David Webb Peoples ... (screenplay) (as David Peoples) Philip K. Dick ... (novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Harrison Ford Harrison Ford ... Rick Deckard Rutger Hauer Rutger Hauer ... Roy Batty Sean Young Sean Young ... Rachael Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos ... Gaff M. Emmet Walsh M. Emmet Walsh ... Bryant Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah ... Pris William Sanderson William Sanderson ... J.F. Sebastian Brion James Brion James ... Leon Kowalski Joe Turkel Joe Turkel ... Dr. Eldon Tyrell Joanna Cassidy Joanna Cassidy ... Zhora James Hong James Hong ... Hannibal Chew Morgan Paull Morgan Paull ... Holden Kevin Thompson Kevin Thompson ... Bear John Edward Allen John Edward Allen ... Kaiser Hy Pyke Hy Pyke ... Taffey Lewis Kimiko Hiroshige Kimiko Hiroshige ... Cambodian Lady Bob Okazaki Bob Okazaki ... Howie Lee (as Robert Okazaki) Carolyn DeMirjian Carolyn DeMirjian ... Saleslady Rest of cast listed alphabetically: Ben Astar Ben Astar ... Abdul Ben Hassan (uncredited) Judith Burnett Judith Burnett ... Ming-Fa (uncredited) Leo Gorcey Jr. Leo Gorcey Jr. ... Louie - Bartender (uncredited) Dawna Lee Heising Dawna Lee Heising ... Showgirl (uncredited) Sharon Hesky Sharon Hesky ... Bar Patron (uncredited) Kelly Hine Kelly Hine ... Showgirl (uncredited) Tom Hutchinson Tom Hutchinson ... Bartender (uncredited) Charles Knapp Charles Knapp ... Bartender (uncredited) Rose Mascari Rose Mascari ... Bar Patron (uncredited) Jirô Okazaki Jirô Okazaki ... Policeman (uncredited) Steve Pope Steve Pope ... Policeman (uncredited) Robert Reiter Robert Reiter ... Policeman (uncredited) Alexis Rhee Alexis Rhee ... Geisha #1 (uncredited) Create a character page for: Create » ? Produced by Charles de Lauzirika ... producer (2007 Final Cut version) Michael Deeley ... producer Hampton Fancher ... executive producer Brian Kelly ... executive producer Ivor Powell ... associate producer Paul Prischman ... associate producer (2007 Final Cut version) Jerry Perenchio ... co-executive producer (uncredited) Ridley Scott ... co-producer (uncredited) Run Run Shaw ... co-executive producer (uncredited) Bud Yorkin ... co-executive producer (uncredited) Music by Vangelis Cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth ... director of photography Film Editing by Marsha Nakashima Terry Rawlings ... supervising editor Casting By Jane Feinberg Mike Fenton Marci Liroff ... (uncredited) Production Design by Lawrence G. Paull Art Direction by David L. Snyder ... (as David Snyder) Set Decoration by Linda DeScenna Leslie McCarthy-Frankenheimer ... (as Leslie Frankenheimer) Thomas L. Roysden ... (as Tom Roysden) Peg Cummings ... (uncredited) Costume Design by Michael Kaplan Charles Knode Makeup Department Shirley Padgett ... hair stylist (as Shirley L. Padgett) Marvin G. Westmore ... makeup artist John Chambers ... prosthetic makeups (uncredited) Bridget O'Neill ... makeup artist: Joanna Cassidy (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Production Management Alan Collis ... production manager C.O. Erickson ... executive in charge of production John W. Rogers ... unit production manager Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Newt Arnold ... first assistant director (as Newton Arnold) Morris Chapnick ... second assistant director Peter Cornberg ... first assistant director Donald Hauer ... second assistant director (as Don Hauer) Victoria E. Rhodes ... dga trainee (as Victoria Rhodes) Richard Peter Schroer ... second assistant director (as Richard Schroer) Art Department Jeff Clark ... sign writer Stephen Dane ... assistant art director Mentor Huebner ... production illustrator Sherman Labby ... production illustrator Terry E. Lewis ... property master (as Terry Lewis) Basil Lombardo ... standby painter (as Buzz Lombardo) Dave Margolin ... painter Syd Mead ... visual futurist James F. Orendorff ... construction coordinator (as James F. Orendorf) David Q. Quick ... assistant property master (as David Quick) John A. Scott III ... assistant property master Arthur Shippee ... assistant property master (as Arthur Shippee Jr.) Tom Southwell ... production illustrator James T. Woods ... painting coordinator John Alvin ... poster artist (uncredited) William Apperson ... construction foreman (uncredited) / model maker (uncredited) Chris Bracey ... neon art (uncredited) Charles William Breen ... set designer (uncredited) Marco A. Campos ... propmaker (uncredited) Robert Clark ... sculptor (uncredited) Chris Courtois ... model maker (uncredited) Tom Duffield ... set designer (uncredited) Carmine Goglia ... scenic paint foreman (uncredited) Peter J. Hampton ... production designer: additional scenes (uncredited) Jaymes Hinkle ... scenic graphics (uncredited) Steven Ladish ... props (uncredited) Edward T. McAvoy ... scenic artist (uncredited) Gregory Pickrell ... set designer (uncredited) Curtis A. Schnell ... set designer (uncredited) Kevin Shanks ... drapery man/floor covering (uncredited) William Ladd Skinner ... set designer (uncredited) Drew Struzan ... poster artist (uncredited) Eric Sundt ... vehicle builder (uncredited) Michael Taylor ... leadman (uncredited) Gary Zink ... carpenter (uncredited) / propmaker (uncredited) Sound Department Bud Alper ... sound mixer Gene Ashbrook ... boom operator (as Eugene Byron Ashbrook) Christopher Assells ... sound effects editor (2007 Final Cut version) Brydon Baker III ... cable person (as Beau Baker) Karen Baker Landers ... supervising sound editor (2007 Final Cut version) Peter Baldock ... assistant dialogue editor Ron Bartlett ... sound re-recording mixer (2007 Final Cut version) Dino Dimuro ... sound effects editor (2007 Final Cut version) (as Dino R. Dimuro) Joe Gallagher ... assistant sound editor Per Hallberg ... supervising sound editor (2007 Final Cut version) Graham V. Hartstone ... chief dubbing mixer Doug Hemphill ... sound re-recording mixer (2007 Final Cut version) (as D.M. Hemphill) Mike Hopkins ... dialogue editor (as Michael Hopkins) Gerry Humphreys ... chief dubbing mixer Mary Jo Lang ... foley mixer (2007 Final Cut version) (as Maryjo Lang) Alyson Dee Moore ... foley artist (2007 Final Cut version) (as Alyson Moore) Scott Morgan ... foley recordist (2007 Final Cut version) Philip D. Morrill ... assistant sound editor (2007 Final Cut version) Tony Negrete ... assistant sound editor (2007 Final Cut version) (as Tony R. Negrete) Peter Pennell ... sound editor John Roesch ... foley artist (2007 Final Cut version) Jon Title ... sound effects editor (2007 Final Cut version) Matt Vowles ... sound re-recording mixer: foreign language versions (foreign language versions) Joel Fein ... sound recording mixer (uncredited) John Hayward ... sound re-recording mixer (uncredited) Nicolas Le Messurier ... sound re-recording mixer (uncredited) Gordon K. McCallum ... sound mixer (uncredited) Special Effects by Greg Curtis ... special effects technician (as William G. Curtis) Logan Frazee ... special effects technician Terry D. Frazee ... special floor effects supervisor (as Terry Frazee) Steve Galich ... special effects technician Donald Myers ... special effects technician Robert Cole ... special effects action property foreman (uncredited) Robert DeVine ... special effects (uncredited) Ken Estes ... special effects foreman (uncredited) Scott Forbes ... special effects technician (uncredited) Tim Turner ... fabricator (uncredited) Visual Effects by Tim Angulo ... additional green screen photography: New Deal Studios (2007 Final Cut version) (as Timothy E. Angulo) Michael Backauskas ... assistant effects editor: EEG (as Michael Bakauskas) Robert D. Bailey ... matte photography: EEG (as Robert Bailey) Don Baker ... camera operator: EEG Philip Barberio ... optical line-up: EEG Jill Bogdanowicz ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) Christian Boudman ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) Tom Burton ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) Diane Caliva ... visual effects enhancement: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) Charles Cowles ... camera operator: EEG Tom Cranham ... effects illustrator: EEG Lisa Deaner ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) Debbie Denise ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) David Dryer ... special photographic effects supervisor Syd Dutton ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Bud Elam ... special engineering consultant: EEG Michael L. Fink ... action prop supervisor (as Mike Fink) Linda Fleisher ... action prop consultant Collin Fowler ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Joyce Goldberg ... production office manager: EEG David Grafton ... special engineering consultant: EEG Robert Hall ... optical photography supervisor: EEG David R. Hardberger ... camera operator: EEG (as David Hardberger) Alan Harding ... special camera technician: EEG Jack Hinkle ... film coordinator: EEG Richard E. Hollander ... computer engineering: EEG (as Richard Hollander) Richard R. Hoover ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) Ian Hunter ... visual effects supervisor Karen Krause ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) Ronald Longo ... camera operator: EEG Fumi Mashimo ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Tim McHugh ... camera operator: EEG (as Timothy McHugh) Kelvin McIlwain ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Gregory L. McMurry ... electronic engineering: EEG (as Greg McMurray) Virgil Mirano ... still lab: EEG Thomas Nittmann ... visual effects enhancement: Lola Visual Effects (2007 Final Cut version) Luke O'Byrne ... visual effects enhancement: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) Joshua Pines ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) Thomas R. Polizzi ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) (as Thom Polizzi) George Polkinghorne ... cinetechnician: EEG Gary Randall ... gaffer: EEG Richard Rippel ... optical line-up: EEG (as Richard Ripple) Jonathan Rothbart ... visual effects enhancement: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) David Sanger ... additional green screen photography: New Deal Studios (2007 Final Cut version) Georgia Scheele ... visual effects coordinator (2007 Final Cut version) John Scheele ... visual effects supervisor (2007 Final Cut version) Robert Spurlock ... miniature technician: EEG (as Bob Spurlock) Mark Stetson ... chief model maker: EEG David K. Stewart ... director of photography: EEG (as Dave Stewart) Diana Stulic ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) (as Diana Stulic Ibanez) Catherine Sudolcan ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Tama Takahashi ... matte photography: EEG David Takayama ... visual effects enhancement: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) Bill Taylor ... visual effects enhancement: Illusion Arts (2007 Final Cut version) Douglas Trumbull ... special photographic effects supervisor Patrick Van Auken ... key grip: EEG (as Pat Van Auken) James Warren ... digital restoration: Technicolor Digital Intermediates (2007 Final Cut version) John C. Wash ... animation and graphics: EEG (as John Wash) Evans Wetmore ... electronic and mechanical design: EEG Edson Williams ... visual effects enhancement: Lola Visual Effects (2007 Final Cut version) Matthew Yuricich ... matte artist: EEG Richard Yuricich ... special photographic effects supervisor Ryan Zuttermeister ... visual effects enhancement: Lola Visual Effects (2007 Final Cut version) Isa Alsup ... compositor (uncredited) Daphne Apellanes-Ackerson ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Thomas Baker ... motion control camera (uncredited) Dana Basinger ... film I/O coordinator: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Jerry Castro ... editorial supervisor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Craig Chandler ... optical effects (uncredited) Steve Cho ... lead compositor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Trent Claus ... digital compositor (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Joe C. D'Amato ... resource manager: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Tim Dobbert ... matchmove supervisor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Rama Dunayevich ... public relations: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Leslie Ekker ... model maker (uncredited) Bill George ... miniature design and construction (uncredited) Rocco Gioffre ... matte artist (uncredited) Julieta Gleiser ... digital production manager: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Daniel Gloates ... senior staff: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Joanna Goldfarb ... post production supervisor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Monique Gougeon ... human resources: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Rich Grande ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Timothy Gross ... systems administration: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Martyn Hall ... visual effects (uncredited) Sunghwan Hong ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Jeffrey Jasper ... digital artist: New Deal Studios (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Michelle Kater ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Bill Kent ... camera operator: special photographic effects (uncredited) Benjamin Kutsko ... Flame artist (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Ivan Landau ... visual effects editor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Diana K. Lee ... roto/matchmove coordinator: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Soyoun Lee ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Stuart T. Maschwitz ... senior staff: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Michael McMillen ... model maker (uncredited) Dan McNamara ... senior staff: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Michele Moen ... matte artist: EEG (uncredited) Jarrod Nesbit ... visual effects coordinator: SPI (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Brian Nugent ... Flame artist (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Tom Pahk ... model maker (uncredited) Christine Peterson ... roto/paint artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Aaron Rhodes ... compositing supervisor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Christopher S. Ross ... miniature design and construction (uncredited) Marc Sadeghi ... executive visual effects producer: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Jonathan Seay ... visual effects camera (uncredited) Scott Squires ... visual displays: DQI (uncredited) Scott Stewart ... senior staff: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Carsten Sørensen ... senior staff: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Bee Jin Tan ... rotoscope artist: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) George Trimmer ... model maker (uncredited) Ryan Tudhope ... compositor: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Sean Wallitsch ... Flame artist (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Tiffany Wu ... roto/matchmove coordinator: The Orphanage (2007 Final Cut version) (uncredited) Hoyt Yeatman ... visual displays: DQI (uncredited) Gene Young ... model construction (uncredited) Stunts Gary Combs ... stunt coordinator Ed McDermott II ... precision driver Vic Armstrong ... stunt double: Harrison Ford (uncredited) Ray Bickel ... stunts (uncredited) Janet Brady ... stunts (uncredited) Diane Carter ... stunts (uncredited) Ann Chatterton ... stunts (uncredited) Gary Combs ... stunt double: Harrison Ford (uncredited) Gilbert B. Combs ... stunts (uncredited) Tony Cox ... stunts (uncredited) Rita Egleston ... stunts (uncredited) Gary Epper ... stunts (uncredited) Jeannie Epper ... stunts (uncredited) James M. Halty ... stunts (uncredited) Jeff Imada ... stunts (uncredited) Gary McLarty ... stunts (uncredited) Karen McLarty ... stunts (uncredited) Beth Nufer ... stunts (uncredited) Roy K. Ogata ... stunts (uncredited) Bobby Porter ... stunts (uncredited) Lee Pulford ... stunt double: Joanna Cassidy (uncredited) Ruth A. Redfern ... stunts (uncredited) George Sawaya ... stunts (uncredited) Charles A. Tamburro ... stunts (uncredited) Jack Tyree ... stunts (uncredited) Mike Washlake ... stunts (uncredited) Michael Zurich ... stunts (uncredited) Camera and Electrical Department Albert Bettcher ... camera operator Dick Colean ... camera operator Michael Genne ... first assistant camera (as Mike Genne) George D. Greer ... second assistant camera Cary Griffith ... key grip (as Carey Griffith) Richard Hart ... lighting gaffer (as Dick Hart) Casey Jones ... grip Steven Poster ... additional photographer Steven H. Smith ... first assistant camera (as Steve Smith) Robert C. Thomas ... camera operator (as Robert Thomas) Brian Tufano ... additional photographer Stephen Vaughan ... still photographer Michael B. Corbett ... lighting technician (uncredited) Adam Glick ... set lighting technician (uncredited) Dan Greer ... assistant camera (uncredited) Ernest Holzman ... film loader (uncredited) Michael E. Matteson ... key grip (uncredited) James Nordberg ... generator operator (uncredited) Jeff Paynter ... second unit focus puller (uncredited) Peter Santoro ... second assistant camera (uncredited) Bernie Schwartz ... grip (uncredited) Haskell Wexler ... additional photographer (uncredited) Costume and Wardrobe Department Winnie D. Brown ... costumer: women (as Winnie Brown) Bob E. Horn ... costumer: men (as Bobby E. Horn) James Lapidus ... costumer: men Linda Matthews ... costumer: women (as Linda A. Matthews) Jan Ferris ... designer/sculptor: jewelry and metalwork for costumes (uncredited) Jerry Herrin ... costumer supervisor: day crew (uncredited) Editorial Department Les Healey ... first assistant editor Gillian L. Hutshing ... editor (2007 final cut version) (as Gillian Hutshing) Karen Rasch ... assistant editor (2007 final cut version) Bill Zabala ... assistant editor (as William Zabala) Peter Hollywood ... additional editing (uncredited) Music Department Gail Laughton ... composer: additional music Stephanie Lowry ... music editor (2007 Final Cut version) Steve Schaeffer ... musician: percussion Tom Scott ... musician: woodwinds Ian Underwood ... musician: synthesizer

Comment left by johno on 7th June, 2015 at 21:42
not sure you gave us enuff techy detail such as in specific mm per thread what ply cable did the head boy grips use and was the catering local or outsourced apart from that up to par didn't mar the enjoyment of your concise review 9/10